C
ollier Township’s Hilltop Park
was officially recognized by
PlayCore, a leading designer,
manufacturer and marketer
of a broad range of play and
recreational products, as a
National Demonstration Site
for Adult Outdoor Fitness.
The fitness site, which is the
first and only of its kind in Pennsylvania, encourages
the community to engage in active lifestyles, and Collier
Township is dedicated to building a stronger community
through providing a variety of activities and recreational
opportunities.
“As we continue our residential growth, we’re always
looking for creative ways to enhance our parks and make
exercise and play for families fun and easy,” says Township
Manager Kyle Thauvette. “We realize how important these
assets are to our residents and are proud to be on the
cutting edge of unique exercise options such as our new
PlayCore equipment at Hilltop Park.”
The new site features a clustered arrangement of
equipment specifically selected to address total body
fitness through a variety of aerobic, muscle/strength, core
and balance/flexibility exercises.
Hilltop Park was renovated in 2017 using grant funding
assistance from the Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources (DCNR).
The park, located in the middle of the Nevillewood
residential community, combines several recreational
aspects that make it a unique park that appeals to residents
both young and old. The renovated park includes a
modular outdoor restroom facility, large pavilion with
electrical service, updated playground equipment, and a
bocce court along with the first-of-its-kind outdoor adult
exercise facility. In addition to these various amenities,
Hilltop Park also shares a parking area with the township’s
Discovery Meadow Path trail system: a two-mile round-
trip walking/biking path through an existing meadow. The
trail was completed in 2017 and meadow restoration is
currently underway for completion this year.
The completion of Discovery Meadow Path provides
visitors the opportunity to take in the beauty and nature
associated with an established meadow. For many years,
the meadow has been an escape for bird watchers,
insect cataloguers and garden clubs. The addition of the
“We are always
looking for
creative ways
to enhance our
parks and make
exercise and
play for families
fun and easy.”
amenities provided at Hilltop Park make the park and the
Discovery Meadow Path a regional destination.
Hilltop Park is centrally located in Collier Township,
making it a prime location for recreation by all township
residents. The large pavilion is regularly rented by
community members for outdoor celebrations such as
graduation or birthday parties, and the adult exercise
equipment is used regularly by residents as a low-intensity/
low-resistance fitness option open to the public. Collier
Township is in the process of setting up a bocce league for
interested residents as well.
It is also working with Allegheny County to develop a
mapping system for residents and visitors outlining public
walking trails that span the distance across the township.
Hilltop Park is a highlighted portion of that system as the
Discovery Meadow Path connects the business district
to Hilltop Park. From there, the map leads bikers and
pedestrians along Hilltop Road and connects them to
the Panhandle Trail, a 29-mile trail leading into Weirton,
WV. Pedestrians also have the option to connect to the
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden or Allegheny County’s Settlers
Cabin Park.
With the community’s commitment to advancing
play and recreation through best practices, the Collier
Township Fitness Park will receive a certificate of
recognition, become a part of a network of National
Demonstration Sites featured as a part of an online map,
and will be promoted actively to other communities
wishing to create recreation spaces using design and/or
programming.
For more information about Collier Township parks, go
to colliertownship.net/178/Parks-Recreation. To locate
the new site, check out playcore.com/nds/map. n
CHARTIERS VALLEY ❘
SUMMER 2018
17